MOBILE PHONE INSURANCE – THE EXIGENCY

‘’MY CELL PHONE IS MY WORLD’’ this statement is definitely true for all of us who’ve become so much depended and addicted towards our cell phone that even missing a glimpse of it may affect us. As cell phones have become an inseparable part of our life it really hurts when you lose/damage out one of your favorite cell phone…..But now it’s the time to kick off all your worries over the Lost, Damaged or any kind of mysterious disappearance of your mobile phone. Here comes into spotlight a simple solution to all these issues ‘’MOBILE PHONE INSURANCE’’. Let’s have a quick look on what it is all about....

The Mobile phone boom has introduced the coming up of expensive and sleek mobile phone models that are somewhat more prone to accidents and losses. A survey reveals that more than 20 lakh mobile phones are stolen/ lost every month! Mobile phone insurance is a boon for all who are quiet often categorized as Serial phone losers. Losing out this small techno gadget through theft/accident/negligence etc means you tend to lose out your valuable contacts as well. Although mobile phone insurance may not bring back these connections but still it can cover up the unexpected loss and unanticipated risks up to a major extent. Latest statistics reveal that about 4,200 mobiles phones are lost on buses and trains, while some 1,245 of the mobiles get damaged by water per month. So it’s better to get a smart insurance plan for your handset and get stress free.

Unlike other insurance Mobile phone insurance are unaffected by any kind of standard demographics like age, sex, work, income etc. Generally the mobile phone insurance covers the following cases:

1. Accident

2. Theft: it covers a partial (parts) or complete theft of the mobile phone.

3. Fire damages

4. Fortuitous external damages

5. Riot, strike or terrorist activities

6. Fraudulent call use: some policies do cover to refund the cost of calls made from the mobile phone from the time it was lost or stolen.

Exclusions under Mobile phone Insurance:

Mobile phone insurance does have certain omissions like:

1. Damage by wear and tear, vermin, atmospheric or climatic condition or gradual deterioration, inherent defect or from any process of cleaning, repairing or maintenance, no assertion is entertained by the insurance company.

2. If you misplace your cell phone unattended inside your vehicle the assertion would be denied except from fully enclosed car that is securely locked

3. If you damage out the cell phone in overcharging, overloading, experimentation or id used in strange circumstances.

4. Intentional or willful act of the insured party.

5. Damage caused to the handset due to electrical and automatic collapses.

6. Loss or damage due to war or nuclear perils, loss by water or from any water borne craft.

7. Other mysterious disappearances

8. If you loan your mobile or a friend hires it for a while, the damage, loss or theft incurred during the process cannot be claimed.

9. Any loss of a SIM (subscriber identity module) card.

10. Loss of or damage to accessories of any kind.

11. Reconnection costs or subscription fees of any kind.

12. The cost of replacing any personalized ring tones or graphics, downloaded material or software.

The exclusions vary as per the plans and the firm providing them. You can avail the Mobile phone insurance even at the time when you purchase the cell phone but it’s equally important to consider the premium amount paid towards the insurance as well as the other salient features of the proposed insurance plan.

Started in the year 1990s mobile phone insurance was offered by mobile phone retailers basically in a reaction to the contracts that network operators demanded the customers to sign in to get heavily subsidized handsets. Although many retailers offer mobile phone insurance but it can be very expensive, that is the reason many people turn to the internet to find web based insurers who offer really competitive insurance for a fraction of the price.

THE PREMIUM PART:

With the gradual increase in the price of the handsets the premium for the mobile phone Insurance also have fell drastically. For instance, if a handset is worth Rs 8,500, the premium charged on it varies from Rs 150 - Rs 200. The current cost is Rs 20 per cost of Rs 1,000 of the amount indemnified. A surplus of Rs 2,500 is deducted for every assertion declared. DO consider the period covered by the insurance plan.

Some of the renowned companies offering mobile phone insurance in India are:

· National Insurance Company

· Oriental Insurance Company

· New India Assurance Company

· United India Insurance Company

There are some private mobile companies also offering free insurance cover but they declare under their plans that battery, charger, external aerials, handset are not included, leaving one to wonder what is really covered under such schemes.

Getting insurance on your phone can help in many ways –

· In case of a theft or misplacement you can get the entire thing replaced This means that if you lose your mobile the company will give you a brand new one in a matter of days

· No additional charges for mobile phone repairs .This also can be done in just 48 hours.

· You can get your data, contacts and SIM card backed up so that you can get it all back in case of an accident.

· Peace of mind: as you have it in your mind that your expensive handset is covered for loss, theft or malfunction.

So don’t wait up for these unwanted and unforeseen circumstances, be ready and get your precious mobile phone insured through a smart insurance plan and experience a stress free situation with your secured mobile phone. Do share your smart insurance policy tips to make the blog more informative.

MOBILE NUMBER PORTABILITY- A SUCCESS STORY

Now here’s the news that would definitely bring a big smile on all those faces that were clouded with the irritating and random tantrums thrown up by the current service providers on the grounds of the poor service quality. Credit goes to the Telecom Authority of India who introduced a simple way to facilitate its customer to switch from one service provider to another according to their requirement “without the change of their unique 10 digits personal number , they can change the service providers according to the network range operated with in their own areas. This vital decision has not only soothed the customers but this move indeed adds another variable to India’s already competitive telecom market. Firms across the board welcomed this idea agreeing that MNP will benefit the consumers and that they too will gain from it.

Although, the concept of changing the service provider is sure to go a long way in enhancing customer satisfaction but it has also triggered up a tough competition among the service provider. Network providers are eager to lure customers from rival companies but also fearful of losing their own. The fear of losing customers is propelling them to improve their services and also throwing in freebies. . “It will enable a subscriber to exercise his or her choice and get products and services in accordance with his or her preferences.

Some companies have already started their advertising, marketing and promotional blitz to woo the customers and others have lined up new schemes, tariff rates and other aggressive marketing campaigns etc to get the maximum benefit and limit the damage of MNP. Idea was the first service provider to launch its campaign ‘’No idea –get Idea’’ and successfully attracted the attention through its effective ads followed by Vodafone’s ‘’everybody’s welcome’’ campaign. Even help-line numbers/Toll-free numbers are created to facilitate this switch over and address the queries of the customers by the major service providers.

India currently has over 700 million mobile phone users, making the network the largest in the world after China. The country has been adding 15-18 million new mobile phone connections to the network every month with about 12-14 operators, in each of the 22 circles, offering mobile services. A recent survey revealed that one in six mobile phone subscribers want to switch over. The deciding factor for the switch over would rather be quality than price.

This concept may be new to India but is quiet a familiar competitive landscape for the mobile operators in the European Union and United states. It was first launched in the year 1997 in Singapore. Global experience shows that MNP has a good track record so far and has provided in superior experience and enriched value-added offers. In India, the proposed plan was to launch MNP at the end of the year 2009 but its implementation was deferred for several times for over two years due to lack of preparations of mobile operators to appoint agency to look-over MNP execution. Finally, the department of Telecom (Dot) implemented MNP in a phased manner starting with Rohtak district in Haryana circle on 25^th November 2010 and on 20^th January 2011 it was launched all across the country covering about 700 million subscribers (GSM+CDMA). Though MNP is introduced late in India as compared to the other developing countries, it is based on the latest technology and methodology and will surely improve the quality of service.

ADVANTAGES OF MNP

· No need to get into the trouble of informing all your friends & family that you number has changed -as it stays the same. This is of great benefit to businessmen and professionals where they may have to suffer losses due to change in mobile number.

· This service is available for both postpaid as well as prepaid customers and also on both CDMA and GSM grounds.

· The charge of porting a number from one operator to another is just 19 INR and many service providers are further providing discounts/waivers on this.

· The formalities involved in MNP are quite simple as you just need to send a SMS followed by the filling up of customer application form for MNP.

· Improved quality service, good customer care support

· Likely to have decreased call tariffs

· Telecom operators are planning to give the new joiners some free gifts in the savor of free talk time, SMS packages, free calling hours and so on.

· The mobile gets inactive for a maximum of 2 hours before porting to a new mobile operator. But this range of 2 hours will be in the time range of 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., thus minimizing the risk of any loss to the subscriber to the bottom most level.

· By selecting a good service provider you would get rid of the weak networks, problem of additional or hidden cost attached with the plans they offer , uncaring customer support cell, outdated network, unwanted value added service etc.

· New mobile service providers will have to do efforts to establish their feet in the market. They can shine their self just by offering attractive tariff plans with quality service to their customers.

DISADVANTAGES OF MNP

· You cannot switch from one State to other which would mean that you cannot have one number across the country. Example if your number is registered in Punjab you cannot switch to a service provider in Delhi.

· High marketing expense for the mobile service providers resulting in lower profits.

· MNP could be a headache to police department because the criminals can misuse the portability duration of 90 days.

· You may lose out all your remaining balance in your prepaid account on porting to new number.

· Once you switch your service provider you cannot switch again for the next 90 days.

· In case you make a platform shift you will have to change handsets. This means if you decide to move from CDMA-to-GSM or vice-versa, you will also have to change your handset.

· It takes 7 working days and 15 working days in Jammu and Kashmir and North east states.

The Modus Operandi

Follow these simple steps and you are ported

STEP 1: Send an SMS from your current mobile number to 1900 in the following format

PORT
e.g. PORT 9999999999

{Note: PORT is not case sensitive and do provide a space between PORT and your mobile number.}

STEP 2: You will be replied via SMS that would contain an 8 digit alphanumeric ‘’UNIQUE PORTING CODE’’ (UPC) and the expiry date of this code. Keep this code protected.

STEP 3: Now, you need to send this unique “Porting Code” to the mobile operator you wish to switch on to, via SMS. The number on which you’ll have to send the message will soon be given by all the operators through the ads or you can get that number from service providers’ website.

{Note: This ‘’PORTING CODE’’ would be valid only for few days say 15 to 30 days so you need to SMS this code to the new operator within this period only or else you need to repeat the process once again.

STEP 4: Once the new operator clarifies with the existing operator that you do not have any pending bills. If you have a clean account then your existing operator will give the approval for number porting. Any balance that you have will be lost during this transaction.

STEP 5: You will get an SMS on the time and date when porting will take place. Rules mandate that process be completed within 4 days of applying.

STEP 6: After porting is complete, wait for an SMS from your new operator confirming the switch. Your phone may be dead for about 2 hours when the porting takes place.

THE DOCUMENTS YOU NEED TO SUMBIT

You need to submit:

Duly filled CAF form with UPC code details

Copy of valid Address and Identity proof

Copy of last bill paid to current service provider (in case of postpaid customer)

The competition is triggered let’s wait, watch and enjoy the portability. We welcome your ideas and suggestion to make this blog more informative.

MOBILE PHONE SECURITY

Can you believe that your lost handset can cost you more than just money? This indispensable multi-functional tool is undoubtedly very useful but at times if mishandled can be a real threat. Mobile phones are these days the most common equipment that can be easily located in every man’s pocket, being compact in size as compared to Laptops and Desktops they have a higher probability to get misplaced or stolen. And if this personalized gadget falls into a wrong hand you may lose out all your personal information unwillingly. We can rather say that in today’s world your Mobile Phone is your most ‘’immediate associate’’ and carry almost all your Where about like e-mails, web/search history, GPS information of where you’ve been, Facebook/Twitter account, chats, Bank account info, voicemails, videos etc. And if this, say your minicomputer is mishandled your data is sure to be an open public display. So it is very much essential to have a security added to your mobile phones.

Let’s check out some of these preventive measures that could surely prevent any leaks and serve well in terms of privacy interest:

• Never leave your phone alone not even in a locked car. A survey concludes that 50% of all mobile thefts are from vehicles. Some people also have the habit of displaying their cell phones; avoid that as it may be an open invitation to the thieves.

• Do not give a chance that your personal number gets involved into any kind of controversies. You must have noticed how teens get involved into false Bomb hoax etc this may be a mere prank for them but at they may get involved into serious criminal penalties. So avoid any kind of avenues for exploitation.

Carefully go through mobile phone manual carefully to see what security features are available for your particular handset model and how to activate them.

• Personal Identification Number (PIN) can serve as a lock to your mobile phones and can protect your phone from unauthorized usage. This secret PIN is located on the scratch panel when you first purchase your SIM card. For added security, it’s always best to change your PIN when you first obtain your SIM card. Your mobile phone manual will show you how change the PIN.

• Always lock your phone to your SIM card as this security feature minimizes the possibility of your phone being used with another SIM card or unauthorized parties. When you activate this feature in your phone there is always a prompt for a PIN number, unless you enter this personalized PIN number it won’t proceed further.

• Also maintain a habit of locking your keypad say if the mobile remains inactive for 2-3 minutes.

• Another security feature that could work is locking your SIM card. Even your SIM card has a security feature that requires a PIN to be entered each time the mobile phone is turned on. Without which calls cannot be made using your SIM (with the expectation of the emergency numbers 112 and 000). The PIN is exclusively for the SIM card only, not for the mobile phone. So if incase the SIM is put into another phone the automatic prompt for entering a PIN number would be displayed.

• While securing your phones via these PIN numbers you need to be very careful as entering an incorrect PIN number thrice would simply block your SIM and if this occurs you need Unblocking your SIM card and you may be required to obtain an unlock code or the PUK code (Personal Unblocking Key) from your mobile phone service provider and once you enter the PUK number you could easily generate a new PIN number to lock your phone number.

• Avoid storing the PIN number info in your Phone book entries.

• Keep a record of your International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number. Every phone has a distinct IMEI number which can be identified by the mobile phone service provider’s network. It is a 15-digit number and can be located on the back of your handset under the battery and can be found on most handsets by pressing *#06# on your phone keypad. In case of a mobile theft your mobile phone service provider may liaise with the police about a lost or stolen handset and, if found, your handset will be able to be identified by the number.

• Go for a mobile phone Insurance and incase of theft make sure you report it within 24 hours as most insurers insist on this as part of the policy terms and condition.

• Stay safe by avoiding clicks on to suspicious links through your phones supporting internet access as they may lead to hacking of personal accounts etc.

• Restrict the use of Bluetooth. Make sure that the WIFI/Bluetooth is turned off when not in use as it may invite malicious attacks from potential hackers.

• Keep your mobile phone updated to the latest versions of security upgrades.

• These are the precautions but what if accidently you miss out your Mobile phone?

Check out the immediate action to be undertaken:

• Immediately report the loss to the service provider so that your SIM card is blocked. Make sure you keep a note of the customer service executive you spoke to as well the request/complaint number that would be given to you by the representative.

• Now the next thing you must do is report this theft to the nearest police station and complete those formalities. Often people think that filing a case to the police won’t help you to get your cell phone so it’s useless but that’s not the only point, if you file a complaint you would be having a legal record of your missing phone.

• In case if the phone is insured report this to the insurance company as well generally they have certain time restrictions like within 24Hrs.

• When you miss out your phone it’s a Big Deal. No matter how cheap or how expensive the phone may be make sure you take these important steps and avoid further happenings.

STEPS THAT CAN HELP YOU TO RETRIEVE YOUR CELL-PHONE

• Knowing your IMEI could help a lot in finding the location of your cell phone. The IMEI number assumes importance because thieves and unauthorized users have become clever enough not to use the same SIM or service provider. While it is possible for each service provider to track the transactions of its subscribers, tracking becomes complicated when the networks are changed.

• If your Mobile phone is equipped with a cell phone tracker this feature may help you to detect the location up to an extent.

• You may also use the Goggle mobile phone locater

• In FIR request Police Department to issue the instructions/orders to all service providers to track that IMEI and block that.

Well hope this blog helps you in keeping your cell phone or can say your precious personal info gadget safe and secure. Do write your comments supporting the Blog and also stories if you’ve been lucky enough to get back your lost cell phones this will surely boost up the confidence of others struggling hard to get back their lost mobile phones.